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Elite Kentucky Recruit Attracts N.C.A.A. Inquiry

EVERETT, Mass. — The N.C.A.A. sent two members of its enforcement staff to Massachusetts this week to inquire about Nerlens Noel, who is the country’s top basketball recruit and has committed to play at Kentucky.

Cindi Merrill and Frank Smith, assistant directors of enforcement with the N.C.A.A., went to Everett High School on Tuesday to meet with school officials about the 6-foot-10 Noel, who spent his freshman and sophomore years there. Merrill and Smith specialize in basketball-related issues.

The Everett High School principal, Louis Baldi, said the meeting lasted an hour and 15 minutes and centered on “concerns we had as adults” for Noel. He said the conversation was similar to one he had with a reporter in February about Noel’s background and the people surrounding him.

“I didn’t get any sense,” Baldi said when asked about the conversation’s tone. “It was a conversation, very collegial. That was really it. They didn’t ask me any investigative-type questions.”

Baldi said the N.C.A.A. officials asked him not to reveal the specifics of the conversation, which is common practice.

The enforcement officials also called Leo Papile, Noel’s former coach with the Boston Amateur Basketball Club, but were unable to connect with him.

A person who has been briefed on the N.C.A.A.’s inquiry said the topics officials were planning on inquiring about included Noel’s relationship with Chris Driscoll, a former Providence assistant who is close to Noel. Driscoll was barred this year from campus at the Tilton School, the New Hampshire boarding school where Noel has spent the past two years and is completing his final year of high school.

Tilton officials expressed concern earlier this year that Driscoll did not have Noel’s best interests at heart. Driscoll has denied the allegation, and he did not return a call seeking comment.

Photo

Nerlens Noel, considered the country’s top recruit, is in his final year of high school at a New Hampshire boarding school.Credit
Cheryl Senter for The New York Times

N.C.A.A. officials also planned to find out about Noel’s relationship with Errol Randolph, a former substitute teacher at Everett High School who is another of Noel’s advisers, according to the person briefed on the inquiry. Until recently, Randolph had a link on his LinkedIn page directing people to the Web site of the sports agency run by the prominent basketball agent Andy Miller. The link to Miller’s ASM Sports Web site has since been removed.

Randolph said that he had no formal affiliation with Miller and had never received money from him, and that the Web site ended up on his LinkedIn page because he was browsing it. Randolph said he knew Miller from another relationship more than 10 years ago.

N.C.A.A. officials also planned to inquire about Noel’s finances, according to the person briefed on the inquiry. He flew on unofficial visits this year to Kentucky and Louisville that were not paid for by the universities.

The Tilton headmaster, Jim Clements, said he had not heard from the N.C.A.A. but would cooperate if asked.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if they turned up,” he said. “Certain things that they ask us, we’d be happy to answer. Some stuff, we don’t know anything about. I’m sure we would cooperate, though.”

Clements said Noel was on track to graduate provided he completed the tasks required to reclassify — changing from a junior to a senior in academic standing.

He added that Tilton teachers had Noel’s “feet to the fire” as he had to make up work and class time missed so he could take college visits and attend all-star games. Clements said he expected Noel to finish his work and graduate at the end of next week.

Clements said he was unsure whether Noel would qualify academically for a scholarship. An athlete must reach a specified number on a scale that balances a standardized test score and a grade-point average. Noel is expected to take course work after graduation to help him qualify.

“I’m sure there will be a little drama, and such is life,” Clements said. “He and family and others were well aware of it when he decided to reclassify. It will get played out, but it won’t be here.”

A version of this article appears in print on May 9, 2012, on page B18 of the New York edition with the headline: Elite Kentucky Recruit Attracts N.C.A.A. Inquiry. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe